


Truth and Fairy Tales

by szm



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation between sleeping and awaking. A tale that winds through the truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truth and Fairy Tales

**Author's Note:**

> old fic moved over from LJ

“Once upon a time, many moons ago…”

Ianto stirred sleepily against Jacks shoulder, Ianto liked waking up next to Jack, it made him feel less like Jack could, or would, leave him again at any moment. “Wh’t?” he asked speech slightly slurred from sleep.

“Shh,” admonished Jack “I’m telling you a story.”

“By all means carry on.” Ianto waved at Jack in the universal hurry up gesture, closing his eyes and burying his nose into Jack’s shoulder. 

Jack let out a squeak at the cold and gently batted the back of Ianto's head. Ianto grinned as Jack continued. “Once upon a time, many moons ago, there was a handsome prince called Jack.”

Ianto snorted at that but didn't say anything so Jack continued.

“Jack wandered all the land looking for a home. One day he spied at lovely, young damsel called Ianto, OW!”

Ianto bit Jacks shoulder hard “Watch who you’re calling a ‘damsel’” warned Ianto.

“Fine, you can be a stable hand then” replied Jack huffily, but when Ianto glanced up Jack was still grinning, he tightened his arms round Ianto and continued. “Then the handsome prince did do battle with the evil power that was corrupting the young damsel” Ianto bit Jack again, lightly this time. “Sorry, stable hand.” Ianto could feel Jack’s chuckles moving the shoulder under his head.

“What evil power was this then?” murmured Ianto, not really caring about the answer but enjoying listening to sound of Jacks voice, relaxed and soothing.

“The evil N’sync!” Jack’s chuckles turned to full throated laughter.

Ianto groaned and lifted himself on to one elbow to look at Jack. “I told you, that was just a present.”

“Oh yeah?” asked Jack eyes twinkling “then why was it in your CD player?”

Ianto froze, turning his eyes from Jack. The amusement in Jack’s eyes turned to worry, and Ianto felt worse for breaking the mood.

“Ianto, I’m…”

“No,” interrupted Ianto, smiling at Jack. “A friend of mine from Torchwood London, Annabel, bought everyone in our office one a few Christmases ago. It reminds me of her, and it’s… it *would have* been her birthday yesterday.” 

Jack didn't say anything just *stared* at Ianto, in that way he sometimes had that made Ianto shiver, and feel like some kind of alien tech that Jack was trying to figure out. Jack pulled Ianto to him and kissed him deeply. Jack’s version of saying ‘sorry’.

They settled back down in bed, curled up together. “I think I want to tell you a different story.” Started Jack. 

Ianto didn't say anything just hummed, he was stroking Jacks chest, enjoying the peaceful moment. Jack pressed a kiss to the top of Ianto's head.

“Once upon a time, there was Jack. That wasn't his real name, but it had been so long since he’d used his real name that he’d forgotten it. He was a con-man, travelling the kingdom, trying to find the precious thing he had lost.”

Ianto resisted the urge to ask what the ‘precious thing’ was; he pressed a soft kiss to the base of Jacks throat instead.

“But one day, he met a beautiful princess and a knight. They told him that one of his cons was causing the villagers to die. At first Jack didn't believe them, the knight thought Jack was nothing more than he seemed, but the princess never gave up on him. In the end, Jack gave his life to undo the damage he’d caused, but the knight realised that the princess had been right, and they saved him. After that Jack, the princess, and the knight went off together to chase the starlight. And Jack forgot about his precious thing.”

Ianto kissed Jack this time, slowly and carefully, offering comfort for a hurt he couldn't understand. When they broke apart Ianto asked “Jack loved them, didn't he?” 

Jack nodded. “Yes, but in the end they just faded away, leaving Jack alone. But the princess left Jack with a gift. Since she couldn't bear to see him die, he never would. So Jack was left, trapped and unending. He travelled the kingdom again, looking for the princess, and the knight, but even when he found them, they weren't the same. Jack wandered with no name, or love, or precious thing.” 

Jack stroked Ianto's cheek, lightly holding his head in place and looking into his eyes. “But one day Jack happened on a young stable hand” Jack smirked at that, and Ianto blushed. “Who knew what it was like to lose everything. And he taught Jack how to live, really live, with it. And Jack found that he knew who he was after all, and that was the greatest gift he had ever been given.”

Ianto wondered how much of Jack’s story was true, he blinked, Jack leaned forward to kiss him and whispered against his lips.

“And they lived, happily ever after.”


End file.
